Mashrafe disappointed with revised Super Four schedule
GB news 24 desk//
Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza took a swipe at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) for their recently-released fixtures for the Super Four leg of the Asia Cup, which has Bangladesh playing back-to-back matches.
The ACC released a revised schedule for the Super Four stage, starting Friday, as all four teams were finalised, despite two group matches remaining, and the teams finishing at the top of Group A and Group B yet to be decided. As per the original schedule for the Asia Cup, it was A1 vs B2 and A2 vs B1 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively.
The Super Four’s revised schedule, that was announced after Hong Kong’s marginal loss to India, will have the latter will now play all their matches in Dubai, regardless of the other teams’ positions in their respective groups. The ACC assumed Afghanistan and Bangladesh finishing at B1 and B2 respectively, who are yet to play each other in their group match after both beat Sri Lanka.
According to the Super Four’s schedule, India and Pakistan will play Bangladesh and Afghanistan, respectively, on Friday to kick off the Super Four stage, which leaves Bangladesh, who play Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, to travel to Dubai for Friday’s clash against India.
“It is very disappointing,” Mashrafe said on Wednesday (September 19). “Basically what has happened is that we were made the second team in Group B even before we played the last game.”We came here with a plan. We would play Sri Lanka first and if we won and played well we would be group champions and play the runners-up of Group A. But this morning we heard that we are already Group B runners-up regardless of whether we win or lose tomorrow. So of course it is disappointing.
“It is an international match where we are representing our nation, so of course it’s important. But whether you are talking about group stage matches or Super Four matches, there are certain rules within which they operate. We are getting away from the rules, so it’s disappointing,” he said.
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